Advertising apparatus



J'. M. AND C. C. JAMES.

ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.19, ms.

1,333,920. Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

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J. M. AND C. C. JAMES.

ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION HLED NOV,19, 1918.

\ UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

JOHN M. JAMES AND CHARLES C. JAMES, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

Application filed November 19, 1918.

To all echo/n it may concern:

Be it known that we, J OHN M. JAMES and (i-mamas C. JAMES, both citizens of the lnited States, and residents of the borough of Evlanhattan, county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Advertising Apparatus, ot' which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in advertising apparatus, and although adapted for many forms of advertising and display devices and other purposes, it is particularly advantageous for advertising or displaying titles of acts in vaudeville theaters and the like.

One object of our invention is to provide an improved arrangement whereby a series or plurality of card or supports with advertising or display matter thereon, may be brought into display position by endless conveying means, one by one, but in which the cards or the like are automatically disengaged from the conveying means and supported in such a manner that their-arrangement in the series may be easily changed and one or more of them removed or others added thereto in any desired order, even while the apparatus is in operation. Another object of our invention is to provide an apparatus for displaying such advertising cards or the like, having an endless eonveyer for moving the cards or the like into display position. and improved means for automatically stopping the movement of the cards or the like when they have reached the desired display position.

Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear from the detailed description given below taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which "form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus embodying our improvements in their preferred form;

Fig. 2 is vertical section of the same taken on the line 22 of Fig. .1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 3 3 of parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line e'1 of parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a detail in perspective of a portion of one of the endless conveyer chains with its hook engaging one of the rods supporting one of the advertising cards or the like.

Specification of Letters Patent.

between as indicated at 17, 18 and 19.

Patented Mar. 16, 1920.

Serial No. 263.124.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the electric circuit connections.

Referring to the drawings, 7 and 8 represent two upright members for suitably supporting the apparatus. 9 and 10 are two side members of the apparatus supported by and secured to the uprights 7 and 8 re spectively, as by bolts 10. The side member 9 is provided with an upright front guide flange 11 and an upright rear guide flange 12 and an inclined bottom guide flange 13, all of which parts may be conveniently made of sheet metal. The flanges 11, 12 and 13 extend inwardly and are placed directly opposite similar flanges on the opposite side member 10', the front flange of which is indicated at 14. lVithin each of side members 9 and 10 there is placed a member. 15 having an inclined top edge 16. The members 15 are suitably spaced from the flanges 11, 19, and 13 to provide upright and bottom guide grooves there- Secured to the front side of the member-.15 is a right angled flange member with its flange 21 extending parallel with the flange 11 and serving as a guide for the upward passage of the endless conveyer chain 22. At the rear side of the member 15 there is secured thereto another right angled flange member 23 having its flange 24 extending parallel with the flange 12 to form a guide tor the downward passage of the chain 22. While the upper edge of the member 15 inclines downwardly as indicated at 16, yet at the lower end thereof it is curved upwardly and around to the side edge thereof as indicated at 25.

It will be understood that the side member 10 is similarly arranged with suitable guide members and a similar endless conveyer chain. Arranged on and supported by the stationary inclined surface 16 is a series or plurality of rods 26 having their ends bearing on the inclined surfaces 16 respectively. Each of these rods carries an advertising or display card 27 or the like, the cards being pivotally secured to the rods 26 by means of wire loops or hooks 28, bent into grooves 29 in the rods 26 see Fig. 6). The endless conveyer chain 22 passes over a driving sprocket 30, thence upwardly over a sprocket 31 and then down underneath a sprocket 32, up over a sprocket 83 and down about sprocket 34 to the driving sprocket 30. Similar sprockets are provided in the other side 10 of the. up paratus.

Each of the endless conveyer chains in the side members 9 and 10 is provided with two links each having a hook with a long arm 35 and short arm 36. As one hook on each side of the apparatus passes up over the sprocket 33, such hooks will engage the respective ends of the lowermost rod 26 at the end of the series on the support- 16 as indicated at 87 in Fig. 2, and carry such rod up over the sprockets and down the guide Ways 18, andthen around the sprockets 3d and down the inclined guideways 19 and then around the sprockets and up the guideways 17. During this movement the rod is prevented from coming out and becoming disengaged from the hooks since the flanges 12, 13 and 11 hold the ends oi the rod 26 in between the arms and 36 01" the hooks. lVhen the rod reaches the position indicated at 38 on Fig. 2, it supports its advertising card or the like in suitable display position. Upon further movement of the endless con veyer chains 22, the hooks carrying the rod 38 up over the sprockets 81 where it becomes supported by the ledges 16 and as the chains 22 convey the hooks down'w y, the rod 38 is deposited upon the inclined supports 16 and is free from the hooks on the conveyor. Further continued movement of the conveyor chains however, causes hooks to pass under idlers 32 and then up over the sprockets 33 where the hooks engage the next rod 26 of the series and will convey it through the apparatus to display position in a similar manner.

The two side members 9 and 10 are rigidly' tied together by the rods 39, 410 and l1. Springs 42 extend down over the ends of the rods 26 on the supporting edges 16, but do not prevent the rods in n rolling down said inclined supporting edges as to assume the proper position at the bottom of the inclineded 'e where they will be engaged by the hooks on the conveyor chains to be carried over the edges 25 and through the apparatus as above described.

n hen the hooks on the conveyer chain engage the lowest rod on the supporting ledge 16 at the lower end of the series, the lower end of the spring' l2 is forced upwardly slightly until the ends 01" the rods are forced into the hooks between the arms 35 and 36 thereof. The sprocket wheels and conveyor chain in the side 10 are driven by scans of shaft which carries the sprockets 30, said shaft extending through the side 9 and having on its outer end sprocket d ldriven by a sprocket chain 45, driven by electric motor 46 (see 1). By. reason of the connections described the motor 46 will drive both conveyor chains at exactly the same speed and always in step, so that the hookson the conveyer chains Wlll engage the opposite ends of each supporting rod 26 simultaneously, and the rods 26 maintained level. in order to maintain the conveyer chains taut the idlers 32 are carried upon slotted plates '17, slidably mounted upon the sides of the apparatus and normally pulled downwardly by tension springs 48.

In order that the supporting rods and display cards carried thereby may be stopped in their movement when they reach the proper display position, we provide a lever 56 pivoted at 51 and having a long arm adapted to be engaged by one end of each rod 26 just prior to its reaching the proper display position. Pivotally connected to the lGVQl at is a link 5d having its lower end pivotally connected to a lever 55 at 56. Lover 55 carries a pawl 57 adapted to operate a ratchet 58. A tension spring 59 normally pulls the lever 55, line 5 1 and lever 50 downwardly holding the short arm 60 of the lever 56 against a stop 61. As the supporting rod 26 indicated at 38, in Fig. 2 is moved upwardly by the conveyor chain it engages the lever arm 52, and causes it, through the link 20 to operate pawl 57 and move the ratchet 58 one notch ahead. This operation of the ratchet 58 is designed to operate a three way snap switch 62 in a manner well understood by those skilled in the art, so as to open the motor circuit and thus deenergize the motor and arrest the movement of tne rod at 38 so as to stop the movement of the advertising card in the proper display position, it being understood that the display cards are looked in the direction indicated by the arrow 63 in Fig. 2. Another three way switch 6st is provided in the circuit connec tions to the motor which circuit connections are more clearly illustrai'ied in the diagram shown in Fig. 6. in this diagram the motor 46 is shou 'n as energized from an electric battery 65. However, any suitable source may be used. The three way switch 62 is provided with four contacts 66, 67, 68 and 69 and with a diagonal snap switch member 70. The three way switch 64:. is provided with four contact terminals 71, 72, 73 and T4: and with a diagonal sna switch member 75. Contacts 66 and 67 are connected together by conductor 76, and contact 67 is connected to one side of the motor by conductor 7?, the other side of the rector being connected to the battery by conductor 78. Contact 71 is connected to the other side of the battery by conductor 79 and to the contact 7 2 by conductor 80. Conductor 81 connects tae contacts and 7 1 and conductor 82 connects the contacts 68 and 73. With the contacts and switch members in the position shown Fig. 6 it will be seen that the motor 16 will be energized and operate the endless conveyor chains so that the hook members thereon will pick up one of the liZO rods 26 at the end of the series and convey it to the position indicated at 38 in Fig. 2. As the end of the rod engages and moves the lever 52 upwardly, it operates the snap switch member by means of the pawl and ratchet 57 and 58 so that the switch member 70 occupies the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6, thereby opening the circuit .of the motor and stopping the movement of the card 26, pivotally supported by the rod 38, in display position.

When it is desired to bring the next card into position, the switch 6st is operated, as by hand, to throw the switch member 7 5 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6 whereupon the motor is again energized and the hook members carrying the rod 38 are carried over the sprockets 31, where they deposit supporting rod 38 upon the inclined supporting ledge 16 and free of the endless conveyer chains and it rolls down the inclines 16 to the rear end of the series of rods 26. The book members then pass under the idler sprockets 32 and then upwardly where they engage the next rod of series and carry it down the guide slot 18. During this movement the other pair of hook members convey the rod 83 (see Fi 2) with the advertising card supported thereby, down the inclined slots 19 under the sprockets 34.- and 30 and u vertical slots 17 to the display position. When it reaches the display position the ends of this rod 83 will operate the lever to deenergize and stop the motor as above described, by throwing the switch member 70 to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 6, it bein remembered that at this time the switc member is in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6.

It will be understood that the front of the apparatus is preferably covered with a suit able frame, having an opening through which the advertising or display matter on the card in display position, is seen. When used for announcing vaudeville acts, advertising cards may be alternated with cards announcing the acts.

From the above it will be seen that the conveyers pass down and below the supporting means or racks 16 when moving in both directions from one end of the support to the other so that the rods 26 with their respective cards may be easily removed from the supporting surface 16 and other cards inserted in their places and in any order desired, without interfering in an way with the operation of the apparatus. The endless conveyer picks up the display members and forces them off from the inclined racks 16, separately and one by one, from the lower end of the series, and carries them down below said racks and then up and deposits them on the racks 16 at the other and upper end thereof. The rods are deposited on the inclined racks in the following manner: As the forked rodscarrying members 35 travel over the sprockets 31 and start downwardly in a direction at a sharp angle to the inclined racks, the forked members are thereby tilted, and due to the tilting and the fact that the then lower fork is short, the rods are free to move out of the fork recesses onto the inclined racks 16 during which time and for a short period thereafter, the longer fork 35 will engage the rods to positively force them along the upper portion of the inclined racks so as to insure not only the simultaneous transfer of both ends of the rods from the forks to the racks, but also the positive and simultaneous movement of each end of the rod after it is deposited on the racks so as to avoid any jamming of the rods in the operation of transferring or depositing them from the hooks to the inclined racks on which they are free to slide down into position at the other end of the series and ready to be again conveyed to display position. The rods roll easily in the wire members 28 which pivotally support the cards 26 thereon. The hook or forked members 35, 36, support the display members on one side of the forks when moving upwardly and on the other side of the forks when traveling downwardly. It will be noted that the apparatus is free from mechanism which would bend the display members or change the position of the'display members from the vertical during their travel from one end of the series on the racks to the other end of the series on the racks. In each case the movement of the display cards is automatically stopped by the movement of the conveyer when the cards reach the display position, the switch 62 being opened independent of the position the switch member 7 5 may be in.

While we have described our improvements in great detail and in connection with a preferred embodiment thereof, we do not desire to be limited to such details or em bodiments as many changes and modificas tions may be made and in the invention embodied in widely difierent forms without departing from the spirit and scope thereof in its broader aspects.

lVhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a series of display members, a stationary support for the same, and an endless con.- veyer having means for picking said members separately from one end of the series and carrying them down under said support and then up, retainin them while being conveyed from one end of the support to the other, and then depositing them upon said support free of the conveyer at the other end of the series, the. apparatus being ISO adapted to permitthe display members to hang substantially vertically throughout theirtravel on the conveyor.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a series or display memhere, a rack device for normally holding the series of display members one back of another, and endless flexible conveyors having means forcing said members separately off from said rack device at one end off the series and carrying them down under said rack device and then up, retaining them while being conveyed from one end of the rack device to the other, and then depositing them upon said rack device tree of the conreyer at the other end of the series.

3. In an apparatus of the class described,

a series of display members, a stationary support for the same, and an endless conveyer having means for picking said members separately from one end of the series and carrying them down under said support and then up and depositingthem upon said support free of the conveyor at the other our of the seri s, and means operated when the display members reach apredetermined position, for automatically stopping the conveyer.

4:. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination oi a series of display members, a rack device for norn'ially holding the series 01. display members one back o't another, and endless flexibleconveyers, said conveyors having forked members for engaging the display members and forcing said members separately off from said rack device at one end of the series and carry- :ing them down under said rack device and then up and depositing them upon said rack device free of the conveyer at the other end. of the series, said forked members supporting the display members on one side of the forks when traveling upwardly and on the other side of the forks when traveling downwardly and rigid guide means along a portion of the path of the conveyor cooperating with said forked members for maintaining the display members in engagement with the conveyer.

5. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of inclined racks, a series of display members with rods attached thereto for supporting them on the inclined racks and flexible conveyers adapted to pick up said members separately from one end of the series on said racks and carry them down under said racks then up, retaining them while being conveyed from one end of the racks to the other, and then depositing them on said racks at the other and upper end of the series.

6. In an apparatus of the class described the combination of inclined racks, a series of display members with rods attached thereto for supporting them in vertical position from the icljined racks and flexiblev conveyors adap ed to pick up said mom: bers separately from one end of the series on said racks and carry them down under said racks then up and deposit them on said racks at the ot ier and upper end of the series, means operated when the display men: "is ach a predetermined position tor automatically stopping the conveyor, and control means for starting the conveyor.

7. in an apparatus oi the class described the combination of a series of display members, a rack device for normally holding the series of display members o back or anotli -n-,'and lles nexihle conveyors having means forcing said members seprately olii trom said rack device at one end or the series and carrying them down under said rack device and then up, retaining them while being conveyed hem one end or the rack device to the other, and then depositing them upon said rack device tree 0;? the conveyor at the other end oi the series, said conveyor then passing downwardly and below the rack device to the other end thei 8. In an apparatus of the class descril' d the combination of two inclined racks positioned at the upper part oi the apparatus, aseries oi? display members, supported vertically from said racks, two chains, a sprocket for each of the racks, a sprocket for at the uppe. end sch at the lower end of the racks an intermediate sprocket for each below the racks, and two other sprockets or each, below said racks, and means driving said conveyor chains and causing them to force 0E and pick up said display members one by one from the lower end or' the racks and carry them. down under said racks and over said sprockets and then upwardly, retainin them while being conv yed from one end 0t the raclrsto the other, and then depositing them upon the upper end or said racks.

9. In an apparatus or the class described, a series of display members, a stationary support for the same, and an endless conveyer having means for picking said members separa ely from one end of the series and carrying them down under said support :tree oi the conveyor at the other end of the series, an electric motor "for driving said conveyor, a switch operated responsive to movement of the conveyor for stopping the motor when a display reached display position and a switch for again causing the motor to be energized, through said first mentioned switch and independent of the position thereof.

10. in an apparatus of the class described, the combination of series of display members,a stationary support for the same and an endless conveyer having means for pick ing said members one by one from one end of the series on said support and carrying endless conveyor last mentioned .mber has l t) O l l l) hers, and r1 them down under said support and then up and then depositing them on said support at the other end of the series, said meanscoin- ,prising a forked member adapted to engage means projecting from the display memthe forked members to maintain the display members on the conveyor substantially during the entire downward and transverse movement of the display members when traveling on the conveyor irom one end of the series to the other end thereof,

11. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a series of display members having supporting p10]0l31011$, racks "for normally supporting said display memracks and then up and depositing them uponv said racks from he conveyor the other end of the series of members, and means for guiding said conveyers downwardly and below said racks to the other end thereof, said forked members having their inner contour substantially shaped butwith the for ward fork of each shorter than the other,

said downward movement of the conveyors as they come from theback to the front end,

of the racks and the position or" the racks bein such that the su ()lillllg roiections of the display members as they are deposited on the racks, are forced along the racks by the rear fork of each forked mmber.

12. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a series of display members having supporting projections, racks for normally supporting said display members from said projections one back of another, endless conveyers having forked members for -forcing said members separately ofi' from said racks at one end of the series of members and carrying them down under said racks and then up and depositing them upon said racks from the conveyor at the other end of the series of members, and means for guiding said conveyors downwardly and below said racks to the other end thereof, said forked members having their inner contour substantially shaped but with the forward fork of each shorter id guide means cooperating with than the other, the upward movement of said conveyors toward the front end of the racks and the position of the racks with respect thereto being such that the short forward fork of each forked'member passes'by the supporting projections of the first dis play member on the rack while the following fork of each forked member engages the,

said projections to pick them 011' of the rack.

13. In an apparatus of the class described the combination ofa plurality of display members, an endless conveyor having means for conveying the display members, one by one, to display position, an electric motor for driving said conveyor, connections from said motor'to a source of electrical energy for energizing the motor, two three way switches in said connections, and means whereby one switch is operated responsive to the movement (if theconveyer to stop the motor when a-display member has reached display position, operation of the other switch being adapted to cause the motor to be operated through the first switch independent of the position thereof. v

14. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a plurality of display members adapted to be displayed sequentially, electrically controlled means for caus- 7 ing said members to be moved from one position to another, a 3-way switch operated responsiveto the movement thereof for automatically stopping said means, and another 3-way switch manually controlled and electrically connected with the first for starting said electrically through said first switch and independent ofthe position thereof.

15. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of display means for displaying a plurality of signs sequentially, an electric motor for operating said display means, a switch operated responsive to the movement of said display means for autoi'natically stopping the motor, and another switch electrically connected with the first for causing the motor to be energized through said first switch and independent ofcontrolled means It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,333,920, granted March 16, 1920, upon the application of John M. James and Charles C. James, of New York, N. Y., for an improvement in Advertising Apparatus, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 5, line 28, claim 11, and

line 52, claim 12, f0r the words "substantially shaped read substantially Eshaped;

and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of April, A. D., 1920.

[snub] M. H. COULSTON,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. CI. 4078. 

